The present invention relates in general to a improvement of a hybrid connector, and a right angle female member and the male members therefor.
Generally, hybrid connectors are used as a connector for supplying power and data in electronic exchangers and data transmitting systems for telecommunication. In systems such as an electronic exchanger, a mother board and a daughter boards with various circuits and operating elements are provided, and a plurality of daughter boards are vertically mounted on the front face of the mother board, whereas the mother board has means for connecting the circuits on the mother board to the circuits on the rear face. In general, supplying power to a system such as an electronic exchanger is accomplished by conductive passages from a power supply to a daughter board, then from the daughter board to a mother board, and then from the mother board to another daughter board or another mother board. In order to supply power from the power supply to the mother board and the daughter board and therebetween, hybrid connectors in the form as shown in FIG. 1 are used.
The conventional type of hybrid connector 1 comprises a plug-to-plug coupler type male member 3 having a pair of projection pins mounted to project from opposite surfaces of the mother board, a pair of housing 4 to secure and support the male member 3 to the mother board 2, a right angle female member 6 secured onto the daughter board 5, a housing 7 for securing and supporting the right angle female member 6 onto the daughter board 5, a crimp-to-wire receptacle female member 8 receiving a wire connected to another mother board and fitted onto the male member 3, a housing 9 for supporting the female member 8. As a result of this construction, the supplies of power from the mother board 2 to the daughter board 5 and the other mother board are accomplished by a conductive passage extending from the printed circuitry conductor provided on a hole of the mother board 2 through a flange 3a, to the body of the male member 3 connected with the printed circuitry conductor, to the right angle female member 6 connected to one end of the male member 3, to the leg 6a.sub.1 of the female member 6, and to the printed circuitry on the daughter board 5, and by another conductive passage extending to a printed circuitry on the other mother board through crimp-to-wire receptacle female member 8 connected to the other end of the male member 3, respectively. Each housing 4, 7 and 9 is constructed such that the housing 4 supporting the male member 3 is fitted with the other housings 7 and 8 to provide firm interconnections therebetween.
These conventional hybrid connectors contain following drawbacks:
(1) The plug-to-plug coupler type male member 3 is provided as a unitary body and protrudes from opposite surfaces of the mother board. In case where only one of the supplies of power is required from either the mother board 2 to the other mother board or from the mother board 2 to the daughter board 5, one of the protruded portions is unnecessary, thus resulting in dissipation of materials and loosing of space which can otherwise be used for mounting other parts. PA1 (2) The male member 3 needs a pair of housings which must be mounted onto the mother board 2 and sometimes needs soldering. PA1 (3) Although the electric connection between the male member 3 and the mother board 2 is accomplished by the printed circuitry conductors provided both on the generally cylindrical flange portion 3a which is positioned at the intermediate point of the male member 3 and on the holes of the mother board 2, this connecting method requires soldering in order to avoid a poor electrical connection between the flange and the printed circuit. PA1 (4) As shows in detail in FIG. 1A, when the right angle female member 6 is assembled by press-fit of plug portion 6b machined from a cylindrical rod member into a body portion having four legs 6a.sub.1, a plug receiving hole 6a.sub.2 and a first end portion 6b.sub.1 to be inserted therein should be machined with high accuracy since the plug receiving hole 6a.sub.2 of the body portion 6a is a blind hole. PA1 (5) Method for manufacturing the plug portion 6b to be fitted by the male member 3 comprises the complicated steps of forming the male member receiving hole 6a.sub.2 by drilling and outer surface lathing the cylindrical rod member simultaneously, and forming and machining five stepped portions between a ring receiving portion 6b.sub.3 to receive a ring 10 for securing the female member 6 to the housing 7 and the portion to be fitted into the plug receiving hole 6a.sub.2. PA1 (6) Although the right angle female member 6 has four legs 6a.sub.1 for making an electrical connection between the daughter board 5 and the right angle female member 6, more legs are needed in order to make a more than four electrical circuitry. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to solve the problems as mentioned above and to provide a male member for a hybrid connector which can be assembled so as to supply power from a mother board to another mother board or a daughter board, as desired.
Another object of the invention is to provide a male member and a right angle female member which can achieve a good electrical connection to the mother board and the daughter board.
Another object of the invention is to provide a right angle female member which can be manufactured more simply.
A further object of the invention is to provide a hybrid connector comprising the male member and the right angle female member as mentioned above.